Four Horsemen Present: Min-maxed Monsters

Four Horsemen Present: Min-maxed Monsters

Sometimes the Bad Guys Need Optimization Too!

Look, we’re not suggestion a GM should have an adversarial relationship with the players. The GM has all the power, and can simply make a monster immune to all attacks and able to kill anything at will. But that’s no FUN, and it’s a great way to drive away players.

Oftentimes the best way to make a villain challenging enough to be fun and memorable is to build both the NPC and the encounters by the rules. The hard part is learning how to optimize within the core system. PCs have the opportunity to finely plan and handcraft characters using a plethora of supplemental source material. The right feat, with the right class, and a mix of archetypes can become a brutal combination. This book is a GM’s guide to doing the same thing, so the player’s are wowed by your cleverly-designed foes.

This way, the GM can tell shocked players an antagonist was made with all core products and is “just fighting smart.” Players who minmax to ruthlessly overcome all challenges have no logical defense for this tactic. It puts the narrative power back where it belongs—in the hands of the GM. Once the GM regains confidence, she can go back to making stories more about intentional sacrifice and watching players work together to overcome a challenge, rather than “losing.”